ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. drill — a practice
  3. drill — army training
  4. lie — to recline
  5. root — of a word
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. stand — to bear
  8. ground — crushed
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. ground — the earth
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. ground — a position
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. season — of the year
  15. branch — a division
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. root — the cause
  19. drill — the tool
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. root — of a plant
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. season — in sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com